Construction will begin next year on the 1,012-km Lanzhou-Chongqing railway project, from northwest China's Gansu Province to the southwestern municipality, according to local sources.

The railway will constitute an important passage in northwest and southwest China in light of the country's long and medium-term railway network program. It is expected to cost 29.3 billion yuan (US$3.53 billion) and be completed by 2009.

The railway will run through eight cities, prefectures and 25 counties in the provinces of Gansu, Sichuan and Chongqing Municipality, covering an area of 100,000 sq km and a total population of 36 million.

The railway will connect with the railway network in southwest and northwest China and transport passengers mainly for Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, Guizhou and the western part of Guangdong, and parts of Guangxi.

(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2005)